Abstract
This paper investigates occupational gender inequality among head clergy in U.S. religious congregations. Prior research emphasized the stratification of the clergy occupational structure and the under-representation of women in head clergy positions. This paper focuses on women who are leading congregations. Data are from the National Congregations Study (1998, 2006, and 2012). I review the representation of women among head clergy, investigate the differences in congregational characteristics between those led by men and women, and explore whether men or women are more likely to have positions with non-standard employment forms. Findings show a mixed picture regarding equality for women clergy. By 2012, while women are still less likely than men to be head clergy, among head clergy there is not a significant difference between women and men in the likelihood of being a senior pastor (supervising other clergy). Also, there are no significant differences related to non-standard employment. The only significant congregational member characteristic is that women are more likely to lead predominantly white congregations. However, in 1998, 2006, and 2012, women were consistently significantly more likely than men to lead smaller congregations. While there may be few other differences between men and women head clergy job statuses, congregation size is arguably what matters most. Women’s lack of representation in larger congregations suggests continued gender inequality among head clergy.
Highlights
To what extent are jobs in the top tier of the clergy occupational structure segregated by gender? If congregations are viewed from a more secular perspective as more or less desirable job sites, are there notable differences in the types of congregations led by men versus women? Do job characteristics such as being paid or not and fulltime/part-time status vary by gender?
I only included congregations associated with the denominations or religious traditions that ordain women and allow them to serve as head clergy
According to Chaves and Anderson, theologically liberal traditions did show an increase in female head clergy between 1998 and 2006
Summary
In the last several decades, research on gender inequality in the workplace explored how overt forms of gender-based job discrimination may be less common than they used to be, but implicit (unintentional) bias and organizational and occupational structures still limit women’s opportunities in the workplace This article adds to the body of research that focuses on congregational characteristics and congregations as the unit of analysis, while still using clergy as the key variable (e.g., Adams 2007; Konieczny and Chaves 2000; Lehman 1981; Mueller and McDuff 2002). Congregations Study (NCS) (Chaves et al 2014) It expands on the 1998 NCS research on women clergy by including 2006 and 2012 data and refines earlier NCS-based studies by limiting the sample to congregations whose religious traditions or denominations ordain women. It expands on earlier clergy gender inequality research by exploring non-standard forms of employment. In 2012, among head clergy, women were just as likely as men to be senior pastors, be paid, work fulltime, serve multiple congregations, or be bi-vocational
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